Genius Adventures 3: Jane's Confusion
by Selene Illusinia
Summary: [More Than She Seems] Jane can't figure out why Stark has kidnapped her intern...


**Third Genius Adventure installment. Jane figures a few things out... Hopefully this is still decently amusing. I have a head cold at the moment and my brain is slightly dysfunctional. If you see any errors, give me a heads up.**

**As I've said, these guys aren't mine.**

**-Illusinia**

Jane was confused. Not stumped, puzzled, confounded, or lost. Confused. Thor level confused. Suspect she was in the twilight zone confused. All because of Tony Stark.

The mad genius playboy had come crashing into Jane's lab almost thirty minutes ago and literally dragged Darcy out, babbling about power surges and needing someone to look over his new supply plans. He'd only paused briefly to shout at Jane that he was borrowing Darcy for the afternoon., Rather, he'd said: "Hey Foster, I'm stealing your intern Don't break the coffee machine again!"

As if she would break the coffee machine. That had been entirely Thor's fault. Digressing. She'd been around Darcy too long.

Taking a deep breath, Jane made her way to the hanger where Steve Rogers had politely informed her Stark had last been seen. An explosion echoed from behind the door ahead, followed by raised voices. Jane ran the rest of the way and nearly broke the keypad opening the door.

As it slid open, she was ready to star calling for medical personal, but the sight inside shorted her brain. Definitely twilight zone.

Darcy and Stark stood near the middle of the hanger, carefully approaching a smoking block of metal and wires. Darcy was clad in heavy gloves and a leather apron, with goggles perched on her forehead like some mad inventor. Stark was in jeans, a wife beater, and his own heavy apron, gloves, and goggles. Both figures were coughing and shouting at each other while attempting to wave smoke from their faces.

"I TOLD you that wouldn't work!" shouted Darcy. "The current was way too high! We'll be lucky if nothing melted."

Stark coughed a few times before he could answer. "Well if you know so damn much, why didn't you stop me?"

"You wouldn't listen!"

A snort came from Stark. "And how, exactly, did you know that wouldn't work?"

Darcy started coughing again as the sound of metal striking cement echoed through the room. "I did the same thing in high school."

The two continued to bicker about circuit boards, capacitor strengths, and necessary power outputs but Jane had stopped paying attention to their lively conversation. As amusing as it was to hear Darcy bitch out Stark. Jane had more important thoughts going through her head.

_Darcy made an error like Stark just did in high school? Why would Darcy ever play with anything remotely similar to one of Stark's machines? And why is Stark having Darcy help him? Doesn't he have his own people for these things? It isn't like Darcy is some sort of genius..._

"Damnit Stark, how the hell did you mis-wire this board?" exclaimed Darcy, drawing Jane's attention back to the arguing duo.

"Me?" snapped Stark. "What makes you think I had anything to do with it?"

"Well, you did put this thing together. Right?" shot back Darcy, now waist deep in the smoking mass.

Stark snorted. "OF course I did. What makes you think anything is mis-wired?"

Darcy just stepped back and motioned for Stark to take a look. The man started rooting around in the machine where Darcy had been moments ago. Not three seconds later, he started cursing madly. "Damnit! How the hell did that happen!"

The muttered curses, exclamations, and clanging followed, revealing just how mad Tony was. However, Darcy caught sight of Jane and waved, heading towards the astrophysicist with a shake of her head and thumb towards Stark while her other finger swirled beside her temple in the class crazy gesture. Jane had to force herself to act casual, not wanting to clue Darcy in that she'd witnessed anything strange.

"Hey boss lady, what's shakin?" greeted Darcy with a grin and roll of her eyes as Stark apparently hit his head on something. She pointedly ignored the raving that followed.

"Nothing really," muttered Jane, somewhat distracted by Stark's exclamations. "Darcy, why are you helping Stark?"

Darcy shrugged. "Someone's gotta man the fire extinguisher. Besides, leaving him alone while he works is a no-no according to Coulson and if he has to have someone hovering around, apparently he'd rather it be me. Personally, I think he wants me around for perverted reasons..."

"Hey!" shouted Stark. "I heard that!"

Darcy just rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I'm here for the rest of the day unless you urgently need me."

Jane shook her head quickly. "No! No, that's alright. Have fun babysitting Stark..."

"Loads of fun," muttered Darcy.

"Hey Darc, stop chatting with the astrophysics guru and come help me get this piece of junk working!" shouted Stark. Apparently he'd stopped his little rant.

"Hold your horses! I'm coming!" Pause. "Not _THAT_ way you perv!"

Stark broke into laughter as Darcy heaved a sigh. "I'll be back tomorrow Jane. Promise. Pretty sure I'll kill him if I have to work with him for one more day."

Jane gave her an encouraging smile before ducking back out the door. As she walked away, another explosion rang out, followed by an "Oh come _ON_!" from Stark and Darcy. _Poor Darcy..._

A sudden thought scurried across Jane's consciousness which nearly had the genius astrophysicist rushing back to the hanger. Pepper had once told her that Tony _hated_ to have people around when he worked. To the point that he would refuse to work, period, if that was a requirement. The only exception was if someone could understand what he was doing without explanation and could add to his work. _The_ he'd go so far as to seek out the company. Like he had with Darcy.

* * *

>Suddenly, Jane found it imperative she speak with Pepper. And Erik. And possibly Fury. If Darcy really was a genius and just hid it well, Jane would have to rethink her own genius status. Especially if <em>Stark<em> of all people figured it out first. _That_ would be embarrassing...

**So now four people are aware of Darcy's abilities in some manner, shape, or form. Or they at least suspect it. Anyone want to see more playful interactions between Stark and Darcy?**


End file.
